Means for magnetic testing



comm-1 PLATE G. W. COON MEANS FOR MAGNETIC TESTING Filed Oct. 10. 1942,

CONTACI PLAT! COIL Feb. 5, 1946.

FEM :Z

7' G's/m7 M Coou.

- Patented Feb. 5, 1946 flux Corporation, of Delaware Chicago, 1",, a corporation Application October 10, 1942, Serial No. 481,528 5 Claims. (Cl. 175-183) ment and machinery it is highly desirable to know in advance whether a part used in such equipment or machinery has a hidden fault or defect therein, and this is especially true where theparticular part undergoes a strain when in use. The magnetic testing of such parts quickly and accurately discloses not only the location but the approximate size of such hidden faults if any exist. It has frequently been the practice in such testing to induce or set up a magnetic held longitudinally of the test piece, apply paramagnetic particles to the surface of the test piece,

and examine the patterns formed by these particles. The longitudinal magnetizing field will denote faults extending in a generally trans= verse direction relatively to the test piece. The test piece is then magnetized circularly, and again paramagnetic particles applied to. denote faults extending generally longitudinally of the test piece. Thus, it has frequently been necessary to go through two entire operations in onder to adequately test a part. each operation including the magnetization of the part in one dimotion and the application of par-emetic particles. I

Because testing, while in most cases is essential, is something extra to the actual manufacture of the part, and contributes nothing toward the making of the part, it is of course desirable that the testing be done as rapidly as possible and with as little labor as possible so that the parts may be economically produced. This is especially true in connection with relatively small parts such; for example, as airplane bolts. If the cost incident to testing can be materially reduced, the economy of manufacture may held at a minimum.

sion of a magnetic testing system capable of exceedingly rapidly and accurately testing small items in quantity.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of a magnetic testing ey w arrangement in which a part may he tested for both longitudinal and transverse fault indications in a single operation.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide a magnetic testing system or arrangement which gives the benefit of a plurality or separate netic fields in diiierent directions with only a single magnet and inspection operation Still a further ohiect of the invention resides in the provision of a maetic testing system or arrangement in which the magnetic field produced in a part under test snaps sharply hack and. forth many times a second from longitudinal to circular magnetization and is not a vector resultant of separate applied fields.

The invention also provides a magnetic testing 'system arranged to give added mobility to the I paramagneticparticles used in the testing.

Still another object of the invention residesin the provision oi a, magnetic testing system utilizonly a single transformer need he used as a source of power for the testing apparatus and the test piece is magnetized hoth' circularly and oi. magnetic testing apparatus with its conjunct electrical cir cult connections, embodying principles or this invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the application of a sine wave alternatingcurrent to the apparatus of Figure 1 in the form of alternate half wave pulsations;

Figure 3 is a view sir in character to Figure 1 but illustrating a more commercial form of apparatus. v

As shown on the dra :71 t. 1

In that illustrated embodiment of the instant invention seen in Figure 1. there is show a pair. of spaced contact plates 5 and 6 which may be made of copper or any other suitable electrically conductive material. A test piece 1 is supported between the contact plates in such a manner that current may flow from one contact plate to the other longitudinally through the test piece and thus induce a circular magnetizing field within the said piece. Any paramagnetic part may be utilized as a test piece, such as an airplane bolt, a rivet, a shaft, etc.

Disposed around the test piece is a coil 8 which,

when energized, will induce a magnetization field a hidden fault occurs within the test piece there will be smaller patterns of definite outline denoting the approximate location and size of the fault. Circular magnetization of the test piece resulting from current passing from one of the contact plates to the other through the test piece will cause the paramagnetic particles to denote a fault extending generally longitudinally of the test piece, while longitudinal magnetization resulting from energization of the coil 8 will cause the particles to indicate a fault generally transversely of the test piece. Obviously, obliquely disposed faults will be denoted by one or the other or the magnetization fields, the indications resulting from one of the fields usually being stronger than that resulting from the other, depending upon the angle of the fault.

The method embodied in the instant invention involves the rapid alternate establishment of iongitudinal and circular magnetizing fields within the test piece. This is accomplished by passing each alternate half wave of an alternating current through the coil 8, and passing the intermediate half waves in rectified condition through the contact plates 5 and 6 and the test piece I! 'therebetween. Thus, I a pulsating current is passed through the coil and a pulsating current is also passed longitudinally through the contact plates and test piece. Both pulsating effects are obtained from the same alternating current, and there will be a pulsation through the coil, another pulsation through the test piece, and so on. Thus, if 60 cycle current'is used, the magnetization within the test piece alternates every 1420 of a second.

This method is distinctly dillerent from previous schemes or systems for simultaneous or successive longitudinal and circular magnetization within a test piece, in that the magnetic field produced in the test piece by virtue of this invention snaps sharply from longitudinal to circular with great rapidity and is not a vector resultant of two applied magnetizing fields. Practically, there mightbe a phase difference between the two current applications, which would result in some overlap, so that for a portion of one pulsation current might be flowing through the test piece and also through the coil 8. -Such a condition, however,- would tend to give even better Limits than if the pulsating efiect did not over- Sometimes in magnetic testing the paramagnetic particles applied to a magnetized testpiece are appliedin a dry state, and at other times these particles are carried in a liquid bath. The alternations of the magneticfield in the test piece 1 are so fast that any indication formed by these paramagnetic particles will not be disturbed nor will'the particles be washed off from the'fiow of liquid over the test piece. At the end of the alternate half wave current application indications of fault in either direction will be brought out as well or better than if separate magnetizing and inspectionoperations were made on the piece.

Thus, it will be seen that by the practice of the present method it is not necessary to set up a magnetizing field in one direction through a test 10 piece, then apply paramagnetic particles to inspect for fault, then set up a magnetizing field in the other direction in the test piece, and follow that with another application of paramagnetic particles to inspect for fault. With the practice of this method it is only necessar to once magnetize the part or test piece, apply the magnetic particles either in a wet or dry condition while.

the magnetizing current is being applied, and a full inspection of the piece suflicient to denote go faults in either direction is at once had. The

paramagnetic particles will remain in the patterns they assumed during the current application after the supply circuit has been opened.

In .putting this method to practice, only a single transformer need be utilized as an excitingl'ransformer for establishing the desired magnetizing fields within the test piece. with reference againto Figure 1 it will be seen that a core type transformer generally indicated by numeral 9 so may be used. This transformer includes a primary Ill which may be connected by the line conductors II and I2 to a suitable source of alternating current. The transformer is provided with a single secondary or which a portion I3 is connected through conductor ll to the coil 8 and through conductors l5 and 18 back to an intermediate polnt of the secondary winding. In conductor II is a uni-directional electrical valve l1 preferably in the form of a half wave rectifier 40 either of the dry plate type or the tube type.

The other portion is of the secondary winding of the transformer 9 is connected through conductor is to the contact plate 8, and a conductor 20 connects the other contact plate 5 with the 45. common return lG-to the intermediate point of the secondary winding. In conductor It a similar uni-directional valve 2.! is connected.

Now, assuming that the apparatus and circuit connections are established just as they appear in Figure 1, and that the line conductors II and it are energized, there will be an alternating. current induced in the secondary of the transformer 8. This current is indicated diagrammatically by the dotted line 22 in Figure 2. The first half wave ss portion of'this current, designated a, passes through conductor l4 and valve l'l, through the coil 8, and back to the secondary through conductors l8 and I, thus energizing the coil 8 and establishing a longitudinal magnetic field within so the test piece I. In Figure 2 I have indicated this pulsating half wave current to the coil 8 as A. While this first current half wave A is passing through the coil 8, the valve 2| in conductor I! prevents the passage of current in a reverse 6! direction, that is, first through the common con- 79 and current half wave, designated b in Figure 2,

which will be in the opposite direction from the half wave a, passes through the valve 2!, con

ductor It, contact plate 0, tea piece 1, contact plate l. and conductors I. and I I to the intermediate point of the secondary winding. This half wave will be rectified or inverted by the rectifier it so that it may be indicated in the shape designated 3 in Figure 2. As this rectified halfwave passes directly through the test piece, the

rectifier or valve ll prevents a, reverse flow of current through the coil 8 so that only a "circular magnetizing field is set up within the test piece.

This operation continues with a current half wave through the coil and then a current half wave through the test piece for each cycle of alternating current. Thus the magnetization of the test piece alternates from longitudinal mag-' netization to circular magnetization, and vice versa, many times every second, depending upon the number of cycles in the exciting current. Thus, in eflect, a pulsating current is passed through the coil 8, and a pulsating current is also passed-through the test piece with the pulsations of both these currents alternating with each other. Such pulsating currents will have a high peak value, and when compared withequivalent alternating current or pure direct current these high peak values of the half wave pulsating current give an added advantage in that they show up surface cracks in the test piece in almost direct proportion to the instantaneous peak value of current. While, as stated above, there might be some overlap in the pulsations under certain circumstances, nevertheless there will not be a vector resultant of the two alternatively applied conductor 21 and a similar valve 32. is included in the conductor 80 just as is the case with the showing in Figure 1. I

The operationis the I dinal magnetization set up by the energization of coil 8 is effective across the insulated gap ZB.

It will, of course, be appreciated that while the instant invention has been illustrated and de-.

. magnetization of a test piece, the invention is not magnetic fields, but there will be a series of sharp changes from one magnetic field to the other.

While the test piece is being given its shot,

paramagnetic material may be applied to it either in the dry or wet form and indications of faults may be a dry plate type of rectifier while the other may be a rectifier tube. For economy and simplicity, however, a single translormer will sufilce and like rectifiers -or valves may be used.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a more commer-- cial form of apparatus, namely, one in which the test piece does not have to-be located within the magnetizing coil. In this instance a supporting structure of a shape to define a fiux path is provided, a supporting yoke 23 of paramagnetic material being illustrated which carries adjustable contact plates id and it, one of these contact plates being insulated electrically from the remainder of the yoke as indicated at 28. The

test piece i may be supported between the contact plates N and 2b. The coil 8, in this instance, is disposed around one of the legs of the yoke 23 where it'may remain permanently in position while the test pieces are freely placed, tested, and removed from between the contact Plates.

Merely to illustrate that it does not matter which portion or the transformer secondary is have shown the secondary portion it connected through conductor 21 to the contact plate 24,

connected to the coil or to the 'contactpiates, I

and conductor 2t connects contact plate 26 to 4,

the common return It. Likewise, conductor 30 connects the'secondary portion "to the coil 8, and conductor it connects the coil with the common retiun II. A valve 2| isincluded in the so specifically limited. For example, if a relatively thin square or rectangular piece were to be tested it would probably be better to set up separate longitudinal fields at right angles to each other in the piece. Circular magnetization of such a piece would not be necessary. Consequently, it will be noted that the invention includes the establishment of a plurality of magnetic fields of diiferent orientation in a test piece, be any of the fields circular, longitudinal, or otherwise.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided novel means for and a methodoi mag netizing and magnetically testing a paramagnetic part. By the arrangement and the novel method embodied in this invention, a separate magnetizing operation and a separate inspection operation.

are entirely eliminated, and the piece under test may be fully magnetically inspected for faults in a single magnetizing and testing operation. By this invention the effective benefit of a plurality oi magnetizing fields oi diiferent but constant orientation in a test piece is acquired at one and the same time, and consequently the test pieces may be completely inspected with great rapid'ity.- It will be appreciated that the apparatus may be operated and the method practiced with great economy as to cost of apparatus and current consump- Hon. 0 I l It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through; a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a magnetic testing system, contact members for engagement with a test piece, a coilto longitudinally magnetize the test piece, an exciting transformer, a circuit arrangement connecting a portion of the secondary of said transformer with said contact members, a circuit arrangement connecting the other portion oi said secondary spective circuit arrangements only during. opposite halves of the cycle of an alternating current in the secondary of said transformer to thereby energlze said contacts and said coil alternately when;

said secondary is energized.

2. In a magnetic testing system, means which when energized will set up a magnetic field in a' test piece, means which when energized will setup another magnetic field oi diflerent orientation in the same test piece, and an electrical circuit in]- corporating both said means and arranged tocause rapid and alternate energisation of said means by passing like half-waves oi an alternsting current through one of said means and the other and alternative like half-waves of the same current through the other of said means.

sameas previously described, with the single exception that thelongitucontacts between which a test piece may be disposed, a coil for producing longitudinal magnetization in the test piece a transformer of which the primary may be energized'irom a suitable source of alternating current, outside conductors leading from the ends 01' the transformer secondary,,a common return leading to an intermediate part oi said secondary, said contacts being connected between an outside conductor and said common return, said coil being connected between 10 the other outside conductor and said common. return, and a unidirectional electrical valve in each of said outside conductors, said valves being arranged to pass current through their respective conductors only during opposite halves of the cycle 15 of an alternating current in said secondary to thereby energize said contacts and said coil alternately when said secondary is energized.

4. In a magnetic testing system, contact plates between which a test piece may be moimted, a poll for magnetizing the test piece longitudinally, and an electrical circuit arranged to pass like half-waves of an alternating current through said plates and the test piece therebetween and the other and alternate like half-waves oi the same current through said coil.

means.

GRANT W. COON. 

